Shoe



Feb.v 23, 1943. B. CUTLER SHOE Filed Sept. 13. 1939 Patented Feb. 23, 1943 SHOE Nelson B. Cutler, Cynwyd, Pa., assigner to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Borough of FlemingtomN. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application September 13, 1939, Serial No. 294,701

1 Claim. (Cl. 36-12) This invention relates to shoes and particular- 1y to shoes having cement-attached outsoles. As heretofore manufactured, such shoes have ordinarily been less flexible than desired, and considerable diculty has often been experienced in repairing them, both because it is difficult to remove a worn cement-attached outsole and because when the outsole is removed, no Welt remains to which a top sole may be attached.

With these considerations in view, it is an object of the present invention to provide a more flexible shoe having an outsole so formed and attached that worn tread portions of the outsole may be readily removed in a manner such as to leave remaining a welt-like outsole portion to which a top sole may be secured in the familiar manner of resoling welt shoes. g

Accordingly, the invention provides a shoe having a sole attached thereto by a marginal band of cement, the sole having in its attaching surface a concealed marginal cut which extends toward the sole edge below the cement band, so that the severance of the fibres of the sole at that point compensates for any increased stiiness in the shoe bottom occasioned by the cement. Viewed in a different aspect, the concealed cut denes a free integral leaf lying ush with the attaching face of the outsole, the sole being attached by cementing the ingeral leaf to the shoe, thereby providing a highly exible connection between the sole and the shoe.

A shoe thus made may be readily resoled, when worn, by extending the cut to the sole edge, thereby removing the worn tread portions of the sole but leaving remaining a welt-like rand to which a repair sole may be easily attached in the usual manner of repairing welt shoes. To further facilitate repair, the invention provides for an edge cut in the sole which may be merely deepened to intersect the concealed cut and thereby sever` worn tread portions of the sole from the shoe.

The invention will be better understood when considered with relation to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. l is a perspectitve view of the outsole, a portion being broken away to show the cross section of the sole;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the shoe bottom before the sole is attached;

Fig. 3 is a cross section of the completed shoe;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the operation of cutting the stitches and the between substance to remove the worn outsole;

Fig. 5 is a cross section of the repaired shoe; and

Fig. 6 is a View of a modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, an outsole I0 is provided which, as shown in Fig. 1, has formed in it a marginal leaf I2 defined by an inner cut I4, the free edge I6 of the leaf being toward the center of the outsole. As illustrated, the leaf,

at its root I 8, is approximately one-fourth the thickness of the outsole. An edge cut 2U formed in the periphery of the sole is so positioned that the lip 22 formed by the edge cut is also approximately one-fourth the thickness of the outsole or less. While the thicknesses of the lip 22 and the leaf I2 may bevaried to a considerable extent, it is desirable that the edge cut 20 and the inner cut I4 should be so positioned relative to each other that by deepening the edge cut, the two would be made to intersect, thereby severing a welt-like strip or rand from the attaching side of the outsole.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated, the edge cut is deep enough so that its base lies directly beneath the edge of the insole, leaving from one-eighth to one-quarter of yan inch of between substance 24 separating the two cuts. This may be varied considerably, even to the point of omitting the edge cut entirely, but if an edge cut is made, the lip 22 is secured to the body of the sole, preferably by stitches 26, which may be made either before or after attaching the sole to the shoe. It is to be noted here that the machinery used in the preparation of welt lnsoles may be readily adapted for use in stock-fitting operations for this sole. only a few adjustments being necessary. A band of cement is then applied to the leaf I2, care being taken to restrict the area of application to its outer face 28, so that no cement will spread over into the inner cut I4 and thus defeat the purpose of making the leaf free.

The upper 30 of the shoe is lasted to an insole 32 on a last L in the usual manner, the upper being secured in lasted relation to the insole by the staples 34, tacks 36, or in any other well-known manner, and the lasting margin 38 of the upper may be roughened to receive the sole-attaching cement. If a so-called twoway" cement is being used, a band of the adhesive is lapplied to that portion of the shoe bottom which is to overlie the marginal leaf, similar precautions being taken to restrict the area of application. The cement is then activated, where necessary, and the sole is attached to the shoe under pressure in the usual manner of cement sole attaching, the integral marginal leaf I2 forming at least at the forepart, the only connection between the sole and the shoe bottom or, stated more aptly, the leaf I2 being the only part of the outsole connected by said cement with the shoe bottom, it being understood that the sole may be further secured at the heel end in preparing the heel seat and attaching the heel. Finally, if desired, a light welt 39 of the type often employed in stitchdown shoes may then be stitched to the periphery of the sole. In such case, the stitches 26 are preferably omitted, since their function will be performed by the stitches securing the welt. The remaining operations necessary to complete the shoe are performed in the usual manner.

The shoe thus made has characteristics of exibility not commonly found in cemented shoes,

inasmuch as the normal stiiness of the outsole .der to accomplish this, a knife K or other cutting tool is inserted in the edge cut 20 and moved about the periphery of the shoe bottom so as to cut the stitches 26 and the between substance 24 which separates the edge cut 20 and the inner cut l4 If the shoe has been made without an edge cut, Ithe Worn sole 4l] is simply split along a. plane which will intersect the inner cut at or near its base. The splitting operation may be carried back slightly beyond the ball line if a half sole is to be used in repairing, or if an entire new outsole is to be attached, the splitting may be carried back as far as or even beyond the heel breast line. There is thus left securely attached to the shoe and extending entirely about the shoe bottom a welt-like strip or rand 42 of a more or less wedge-shaped cross section. From this point, the repairing may proceed as it would in an ordinary Welt shoe. the strip 42 functioning as a welt. A repair sole 44 is prepared and then fitted to the shoe bottom. Fastening of the sole may be effected by stitching the sole to the Welt strip 42 or by cementing or both.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A shoe comprising an insole, an upper having an inturned margin secured in overlasted position upon the lower face of said insole, and an outsole having a marginal portion projecting outwardly beyond the upper, said marginal portion having an edge cut closed by a line of stitches portions of which are exposed upon the upper side of said marginal portion, said outsole having also an integral marginal leaf defined by a cut spaced inwardly from said edge cut and extending from the attaching face of the outsole toward said edge cut, said leaf being free from the insole body in the area where said inner cut is located and lying flush with the attaching face of the outsole and said outsole being attached to the forepart of the shoe by cement only, the cement being restricted to areas lying outwardly of the inner extremity and inwardly of the outer extremity of said leaf and serving to secure said leaf directly to said upper.

NELSON B. CUTLER. 

